TMC to miss all-party meeting scheduled before Monsoon Session

New Delhi: Indicating new tension between the Centre and the Opposition in the run-up to a politically charged Monsoon Session of Parliament, Trinamool Congress (TMC) sources confirmed that the party will not be present at the all-party meeting called by the government on July 20.

The party has cited the conflict with its Martyrs’ Day celebrations, which are an annual affair, as the main reason for not attending the meeting, calling the decision an act of protest against what it perceives as repeated insensitivity to its feelings by the center.

The all-party meeting, typically held a day before a new session, is aimed at fostering dialogue and ensuring smoother legislative proceedings. But TMC leaders have made it amply clear how displeased they are with the timing, describing it as both “insensitive” and “deliberately provocative.” A top TMC leader informed Millennium Post, “This is not the first time. Last year, the government summoned the meeting on July 21, which is the day we commemorate our martyred comrades. It shows a clear lack of sensitivity for what the day signifies for us.”

July 21 is emotionally and politically significant for the Trinamool Congress and its cadres. From 1993, the day has been celebrated as ‘Shahid Dibas’ (Martyrs’ Day) in memory of 13 party members who were gunned down by the police during a rally addressed by Mamata Banerjee, who was then an upstart Congress leader. Ever since, it has grown into the party’s biggest yearly mobilization, bringing lakhs to Kolkata and acting as a platform to reassert its political vision. This year’s commemoration is especially pertinent with the Bengal Assembly elections in 2026 on the cards and the INDIA Bloc trying to seal its solidarity and momentum.

In the meantime, the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which is to commence on July 21 and last until August 21, is predicted to be historic. This will be the first full-scale session following a string of significant events—both national and international—such as the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, and current global geopolitical changes. Therefore, it is likely to witness fierce exchanges and aggressive focus on the government’s response to national security, governance, and diplomacy.

The TMC, being a strong member of the Opposition’s INDIA coalition, has already indicated that it plans to bring forth a broad range of issues, from so-called electoral malpractices and deployment of central agencies against political opponents to the contentious center-state dynamics. The party will also stand firmly on topics such as press freedom, federalism, and abuse of constitutional authorities.

Opposition parties are gearing up for a collective onslaught in the session. Potential flashpoints are the lingering political crisis, growing unemployment, inflation, diplomatic and trade uncertainty and the government’s stance on the issue of having a caste-based census. The INDIA alliance is likely to corner the NDA on broken promises and the center’s handling of several socio-political problems.

As the BJP came back to power but with a lesser mandate in the 2024 general elections, this session is viewed by the Opposition as a chance to make itself heard more assertively.